"there are not even enough" vs "there are even not enough"

Question

"there are not even enough" vs "there are even not enough"

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. 'There are not even enough' implies that the quantity is insufficient, while 'There are even not enough' suggests that the quantity is surprisingly inadequate. The choice between them depends on the emphasis you want to convey.

Last Updated: March 25, 2024

This phrase is used to indicate that the quantity is insufficient, with the emphasis on the lack of adequacy.

Alternatives:

There are not enough
There are barely enough
There are scarcely enough
There are insufficient
There are too few

This phrase is used to suggest that the quantity is surprisingly inadequate, with the emphasis on the unexpectedness of the insufficiency.

Alternatives:

There are not even enough
There are surprisingly not enough
There are unexpectedly not enough
There are insufficient, even
There are too few, even

Answer 1

there are not even enough

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

there are even not enough

This phrase is correct but less commonly used in English.

"there are not even enough" vs "there are even not enough"

there are not even enough

there are even not enough

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